A number of years ago my wife and I said to our sons, “Don’t get us gifts for Christmas, our birthdays, or for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. We don’t want gifts. We want a card from you instead. And most importantly, we want you to write something in it.”
We have saved every one of those cards.
The best thing you could say to your mother (or to your wife who’s a mom) is, “You’re doing a great job.” In fact, a survey by Wakefield Research found that instead of getting flowers, 85% of millennial new mothers preferred acknowledgment from family and friends that they’re doing a good job.
Proverbs 31 says of the virtuous wife, “Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!’” (verses 28–29 NLT).
Interestingly, in Proverbs 31 we find the longest description of any family member in the Bible. That should tell us a lot about how important mothers are to God.
There’s something special about the bond between a mother and child. When a child falls down, who does he or she cry out for? Mom. Now, if Mom isn’t around, then Dad is a distant second.
Husbands, when is the last time you praised your wife in front of your kids? How about in front of complete strangers? It goes a long way.
Let your mother know that she is appreciated. Yes, a gift is fine. A card is good, of course, especially if you write something in it. She needs to know that you love her and notice all the things that she has done for you.
On this Mother’s Day weekend, let’s make sure that we thank our mothers—and thank God for them.
“Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: ‘There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!’”
—Proverbs 31:28–29